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    Home » Cocktails » Bar Basics » How to Make a Citrus Twist Cocktail Garnish

    Published: Oct 13, 2022 · Updated: Oct 13, 2022 by Sharon Garofalow | This post may contain affiliate links. See the privacy policy linked in my footer.

    How to Make a Citrus Twist Cocktail Garnish

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    A close up of a citrus twist made from an orange with text over it.

    A Citrus Twist is a quick and easy cocktail garnish idea that will wow your friends. Truth is, it couldn't be easier to make one! Follow this tutorial for creating a simple drink topper in just minutes.

    A drink with an orange peel citrus twist on top of it.

    I'll be honest. I don't always garnish my cocktails. I enjoy making drinks at home, but I can be a little lazy.

    But I do like to garnish cocktails when I am sharing drinks with friends. And while my laziness doesn't just disappear, this Citrus Spiral is so super simple to make!

    Jump to:
    • Why a Citrus Spiral
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make a Citrus Twist
    • Garish Your Cocktail
    • Top tip
    • Variations
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Related Recipes
    • How to Make an Orange Spiral Garnish

    Why a Citrus Spiral

    Why a citrus spiral? Why not?

    If your cocktail has any citrus in it as an ingredient, you have what you need to make a simple Citrus Twist cocktail garnish.

    It's easy for beginners to make and requires only a small knife.

    It's a great way to add a finishing touch to any cocktail recipe. But it also adds a fun detail for lemonade (like this Blueberry Lemonade) and other non-alcoholic drinks.

    Ingredients

    What you need to make a citrus twist garnish for cocktails.

    To create a citrus spiral, you need just a few things.

    I used orange to make this garnish, but you can also do this with any citrus like lime, lemon and even grapefruit.

    A small pairing knife makes it easy but any knife will work.

    And I did this on a small bar cutting board but you totally could do this on a larger cutting board or on the counter. (I know people say that dulls your knife, but sometimes getting out a cutting board feels like a big commitment...)

    How to Make a Citrus Twist

    An orange slice on a wooden cutting board with a pairing knife slicing through the peel.
    1. Make a thin slice of citrus. And on one side, cut through the peel with a pairing knife as shown above.

    I think a finished citrus curl looks best when it's thin, but we're all working with different knives and skill level. Just about anything will work here.

    A wooden cutting board with a pairing knife and a slice of orange with the peel cut off of it.

    2. Cut the peel away from the fruit. As you can see from above, mine is not perfect. And it still works in the end.

    Try to cut off about half of the white membrane. It doesn't taste good (it's so bitter!) but it helps the peel to hold its shape.

    You will get the hang of this over time.

    A wooden cutting board with an orange peel twist and a pairing knife.

    Because I was photographing this myself I couldn't get an image of me actually curling the citrus peel.

    3. Once you remove the peel from the fruit, just pick it up and grab an end in each hand. Then twist the citrus into a spiral shape.

    You can also use something, like a straw, to wrap the citrus around to get the shape.

    Garish Your Cocktail

    Place the finished citrus spiral on the edge of the glass or rest it on top of the ice. It may or may not sink into a drink served with no ice, like a Blood Orange Martini, but it will still look awesome!

    Top tip

    I think organic citrus works best for a cocktail garnish that will end up sitting in a drink. You can wash it with a fruit and veggie wash and remove as much junk from the outside as possible. And there shouldn't be any invisible chemicals.

    The longer the piece of peel, the longer the citrus twist and the easier it will spiral. A slice from the center of the fruit is the easiest way to get that.

    You can also use a citrus peeler for cocktails to get a longer bit of peel. But I think those take a little bit more time to get good with and have wasted a lot of peel trying to learn.

    Variations

    If you find the idea of making a citrus twist garnish too difficult, you can easily just drop a peel of citrus fruit into the drink that you've made with a vegetable peeler.

    Or use a wedge or wheel of fresh fruit.

    Dehydrated citrus always looks great in a cocktail as well.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you make a citrus twist ahead of time?

    Yes, you can make a citrus twist ahead of time to a certain extent. You can prep the peel by removing it from the fruit. They will start to dry out but it shouldn't be too bad if you keep them in an air-tight container in the fridge for a few days. You can try to curl it, but it might be hard to store unless you lay them in a single layer. And even then, they may need to be re-spiraled before adding to a drink.

    What is the point of a citrus spiral?

    A citrus spiral is just a fun cocktail garnish to finish off a cocktail like a Lemon Drop. It looks nice and although it won't give off too much flavor, it compliments the flavors found in the drink and adds to the aroma.

    A cocktail with a citrus spiral garnish on top.

    The pop of color and the scent a citrus twist gives a cocktail is so fun! It's quick and easy to make one and you should consider it for your next happy hour or party.

    Pin to save these Citrus Spiral instructions for later

    Save and pin this recipe for later!

    Save this recipe for later by pinning it or clicking the teal heart at the bottom right of the page. For more recipes make sure you’re following me on Pinterest, Instagram and like my page on Facebook. If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and tag me in your pictures!

    Related Recipes

    • How to Infuse Wine with Citrus and Herbs
    • 3 Ways to Rim a Glass
    • How to Infuse Your Own Vodka
    Close up of the top of a cocktail with a citrus twist made from an orange peel.

    How to Make an Orange Spiral Garnish

    Need a quick and easy cocktail garnish? Make a simple Citrus Twist! With just a slice of citrus fruit, you can create the perfect finishing touch for any drink.
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    Course: cocktails
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 twist
    Author: Sharon Garofalow

    Equipment

    • 1 Pairing knife

    Ingredients

    • 1 slice orange

    Instructions

    • Make a thin slice of citrus. And on one side, cut through the peel with a pairing knife as shown above.
    • Cut the peel away from the fruit leaving a little bit of the white attached to the peel.
    • Pick up the peel and twist the citrus into a spiral shape.

    Notes

    While I used orange, you can use any citrus fruit like lime, lemon, grapfruit or any variation of orange like blood orange. 
    I think organic citrus works best for a cocktail garnish that will end up sitting in a drink. You can wash it with a fruit and veggie wash and remove as much junk from the outside as possible. And there shouldn’t be any invisible chemicals.
    The longer the piece of peel, the longer the citrus twist and the easier it will spiral. A slice from the center of the fruit is the easiest way to get that.
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @CupcakesCutlery or tag #cupcakescutlery!

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    About Sharon Garofalow

    Sharon lives in Southern California with her adorable family. She loves to share ideas to make mom life easier and encourage busy gals to make time for themselves too! Sharon's "me" time often includes watching Hallmark Channel movies, sipping sauvignon blanc, trying not to eat Salt and Pepper potato chips, and planning girlfriend getaways.

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    Based in Southern California, I am the mom to two amazing boys and married to the raddest man in all the land. Cupcakes and Cutlery is your resource for simple solutions to help you be an awesome wife and mother and not lose yourself in the process. Email me at [email protected]

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